Help with a rabbit case please?

Re: Help with a rabbit case please?

HMC — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 15:11:46 GMT

[quote user="Julieg"]

Hi Hannah, despite my repeated advice to change to excel and limit treats unfortunately the owners are not willing to do this

The fenbendazole was given for 26d then they stopped giving it.

She has put a bit of weight on since starting metacam.

[/quote]

Sadly I can imagine the owners all too well. I recently had an owner in like that, and though I can't remember which specific bit of my advice triggered it, she said that she had been keeping rabbits for 20 years etc etc. Took me a lot not to turn round and say that at 30 I have had rabbits since I was 3, so that makes 27 years!

(I shouldn't complain about rabbit owners too much; we have some really dedicated ones here).

Re: Help with a rabbit case please?

Julieg — Sun, 08 Jun 2014 14:35:08 GMT

Hi Hannah, despite my repeated advice to change to excel and limit treats unfortunately the owners are not willing to do this

The fenbendazole was given for 26d then they stopped giving it.

She has put a bit of weight on since starting metacam.

Re: Help with a rabbit case please?

HMC — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 17:33:36 GMT

[quote user="Julieg"]Currently she is on emeprid BID and metacam SID and a restricted diet (hay, small amount concentrate) whilst I try to figure out what is going on. At the moment she is very bright and eating well but the owners are struggling with not giving masses of concentrate and treats.
[/quote]

I know your question has been amply answered by Marie, but I could not let it go that the rabbit is fed Russell Rabbit. I would be really thinking of introducing Excel or Selective and not restricting the amount too much in a rabbit that is losing weight. And treats in a rabbit prone to diarrhoea are a no-no (the crude fibre content can be 2-5%, and I saw some the other day with 0.8% CF!). Did the rabbit finish the course of fenbendazole?

Re: Help with a rabbit case please?

Julieg — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 16:53:34 GMT

Thank you for the advice, much appreciated. Xrays organised as a starting point.

Re: Help with a rabbit case please?

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 08:11:08 GMT

You have an absolute neutropaenia and relative lymphocytosis which can be associated with chronic immunostimulation in the rabbit and indicates a chronic inflammatory process somewhere. Usually in house machines will overestimate neutrophils so the count could be even lower - perhaps do a blood smear exam in house to check.

As James has already pointed out, the skull is the most likely place to fine this inflammation given the history in this case. I would palpate every bit of this rabbits head carefully looking for any asymmetry or swellings especially around the mandible and ear canal. Then skull rads (2 x 30 degree lateral obliques and laterolateral are my standard dental assessment views) looking of osteomyelitis secondary to the progressing dental disease. I would also do a DV to further assess bullae given the head tilt and potential for otitis media that will mimic the clinical and haematological picture of dental abcsessation. CT would be more sensitive for otitis if you have access to this and unlimited funds.

The lipase is elevated but is nonspecific, amylase is normal and pancreatitis is uncommon in rabbits, can you submit a sample for TLI to assess further? Most labs struggle with rabbit samples as the feline tests use rabbit antibodies somewhere in the process, PALS can run rabbit samples but turnaround is usually >7d. Ultrasonography can be helpful if you know what you're doing but I'm not a great scanner and find anorexic, gassy rabbits a nightmare to locate the pancreas in.

I would also assess EC IgG and IgM levels to see if you do have an active or chronic inactive infection present to help decide if the head tilt was a breakout symptom in a compromised rabbit with chronic infection, a new infection, or unrelated to EC.

Marie

Re: Help with a rabbit case please?

James Laidlaw — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 18:45:09 GMT

Metacam 0.5mg/kg bid and try to get full skull X-rays with such chronic dental disease. That's my 2p until you get advice from the rabbit gurus.